Day 1: Taormina’s Twists and Treats
Our Sicilian adventure began with a hiccup at Catania Airport—our rental car’s CarPlay had been tampered with, basically disconnected by the rental company and we weren’t prepared to pay €50 to enable us to use it.
So, we set off with Keefy and his long arms being the phone holder, along the stunning coast road to Taormina. Parking was a challenge, but after a couple of loops, we finally found a spot with a short climb up to the main town. The evening was pure magic: sipping Etta Rosso wine, indulging in pizza and ravioli at Gambero Rosso Taormina dal 1949, and capping the night with a volcano gin and tonic before retreating to our hotel’s rooftop terrace for a final beer under the stars.
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🚙 car rental through Ryanair with Noleggiare
🛌 accommodation Innpeiro
🍽️ dinner Here
Day 2: onto Cefalù’s Coastal Bliss
The morning began with a visit to the Teatro Greco in Taormina, where we were greeted with breathtaking views of Mount Etna—cloud cover had obstructed our view the night before- an unforgettable sight that perfectly framed our exploration of this ancient theater.
We then hit the road to Cefalù, just a couple of hours by road, where a delicious antipasti lunch awaited us before we spent an hour unwinding on the beach.
After checking into our accommodation and freshening up, we strolled through the historic town, completely mesmerized by the intricate mosaics inside the cathedral. The mosaics inside Cefalù Cathedral are a stunning display of Byzantine art, featuring a majestic Christ Pantocrator surrounded by intricate, golden depictions of biblical scenes. These vibrant mosaics illuminate the cathedral, reflecting a rich blend of Norman and Byzantine influences. No wonder they are UNESCO
As the sun set, we enjoyed a drink in front of the cathedral before diving into a delectable dinner in one of Cefalù’s charming alley restaurants.
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🍽️ lunch Here
🏖️ 📍 Beach and parking here (parking free)
🍽️ dinner here
🌟 Must see Cefalu Cathedral
Day 3: Island Hopping in the Aeolians
Our third day was all about adventure as we embarked on a guided excursion to the Aeolian Islands. We were booked onto a Get Your Huide excursion from Cefalu, which included coach transfer from the train station at Cefalu to the port of Orlando, where we boarded our boat for the day.
From here, we explored the islands of Salina, Panarea, and Stromboli. We enjoyed lunch if cannelloni in Stromboli plus arancini and a bit of a souvenir shop.
A refreshing swim in Panarea’s crystal-clear waters was the perfect midday treat, along with a delicious Sicilian ice cream and a beer. Panarea gives Santorini a run for its money with its beautiful white villas dotted along the hillside.
From here we sailed through two smaller inhabited islands before stopping for an unforgettable dinner on Stromboli featuring Sicilian calamarata with swordfish and aubergine. We were able to walk on the black lava beaches of Stromboli before boarding the boat for a scenic circumference of the island at sunset.
The highlight of the day? Witnessing Stromboli’s volcanic activity from the boat as we circled the island—a truly mesmerizing experience.
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🛌 2nd night at Holidays Cefalu as above
⛴️ boat trip Here
Day 4: Ancient Wonders in Agrigento
From Cefalu, we made the 2 hr car journey south west. Arriving in Agrigento, we checked into our accommodation before heading straight to the Valley of the Temples. Dating back to the 5th century BCE, the Valley of the Temples is one of the most remarkable remnants of ancient Greek civilization, showcasing monumental temples dedicated to gods like Zeus and Hera. The sheer grandeur of the Temple of Concordia and Olympus left us in awe. No wonder it’s UNESCO.
Afterwards, we enjoyed a few drinks on our B&B terrace, soaking in the views before venturing downhill into the historic center.
Agrigento’s alleys were full of character, and we enjoyed a bit of a bar crawl before settling into our late dinner in a charming alleyway which was a gastronomic delight, with squid ink tagliatelle and red prawns stealing the show.
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🍽️ Dinner here
Day 5: Roman Splendor and Catania’s Contrasts
On our final day, we journeyed from Agrigento to Villa Romana del Casale, a UNESCO World Heritage site known for its exquisite mosaics, of which there are over 50 mainly complete mosaics, covering approximately 3,500 square meters, making it one of the most significant collections of Roman mosaics in the world. This ancient Roman villa left us speechless with its intricate designs and vibrant history.
Finally, we made our way to Catania, where we returned the car and took a bus to our accommodation in the city center. While Catania didn’t steal our hearts like the other Sicilian gems, its black lava buildings were fascinating to see.
Despite the city’s somewhat gritty vibe, we stumbled upon a charming restaurant near the Fisherman’s Market, where we had perhaps the best meal of our trip—Pasta alla Norma, a local classic that was the perfect end to our Sicilian adventure.
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🛌 XX Miglia Rooms and Apartments
🚌 public transport to and from airport into Catania centre €4 each pp each way ALIBUS. Buy your tickets on the bus but don’t forget to stamp them in the machine on the bus too.
🍽️ Tantikkia
✈️ Flight details
We flew from Norwich to Valletta in Malta for £50pp then had just over 24 hours exploring Malta before flying to Catania, Sicily
✈️ Valletta to Catania , Sicilly
Departure time – 13:45
Arrival time – 14:30
£15pp
✈️ Catania to Rome (blog coming soon)
Departure time – 07:35
Arrival time – 09:10
£30pp
🚙 Car Hire
5 days £190
Used 1 tank of fuel (it was a hybrid) £35
If you’ve found this useful and fancy showing your appreciation, you can always Buy me a beer 🍺
Until next time
Lx
What a whirlwind. We spent 3 months in Sicily, but didn’t see Stromboli. Etna did big eruption which we watched from the terrace a Taormina. Never seen mosaics anywhere near as good. Didn’t rate Catania either.
We keep talking about going back!
Tip: blue tack for holding the phone to the dash … unless v warm, when it melts!
Have a good start to the term. X
Great tip!
It’s a fab island! We really loved it especially the food!
3 months must have been amazing!